Pack board



y 1965 s. BUCHER 3,184,128

PACK BOARD Filed Jan. 21, 1965 IN VEN TOR.

BY ziZm/im 504 United States Patent 3,!t84,128 PAGK BGARD Siegfried Bitches, R0. Box 4e92, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Filed Elan. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 252,357 2 Claims. (Ci. 22425) This device relates to pack-boards as used by trappers, mountaineers, skiers, etc. for packing, on their backs, large and unwieldy loads over diflicult terrain.

Pack-boards generally comprise a substantially rectangular wooden framework with canvas or like materials stretched across the framework with straps or other supporting devices whereby the pack-board may be supported on the shoulders of a user.

One of the difiiculties inherent in present day packboards is that the design of the board results in the pack being carried low on the back of the user and not high and over the shoulders as desired. Even though the packboard is raised to raise the packed load, no support for the load above the shoulders and head of the user is provided and carrying a load in this manner soon becomes tiresome and diflicult.

A further difiiculty is that the pack-board can be used for only the one purpose, that is to say, carrying loads, and if it should become necessary to drag the load some means must be provided for this.

Therefore I have developed an improved pack-board that may be used for packing loads and that may be adjusted to support the load high on the back of a user. In addition, my pack-board may be converted readily into a sled if desired, so that the load may be dragged or my pack-board may be quickly coupled to a second packboard to provide a sled of large dimensions or a stretcher in which an injured person may be carried.

Other advantages and objects of my improved packboard will become apparent when the following specification is read in the light of the attached drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of my complete pack-board.

FIG. 2 is a side view of my pack-board.

FIG. 3 is a broken away plan view showing the coupling of two pack-boards together to form a large sled or stretcher.

With reference now to the drawings my pack-board includes the framework designated generally at 1 and consisting of the side members 2 and 3 and the crosspiece 12. It should be noted that the ends 4 and 5 of the side members 2 and 3 are of ditfering diameters, the diameter of the members 4 and 5 being such that the one will slide into the other one in a close fit.

A sheet of material 6 is formed into side portions 7 and 8 and a curved front portion 9 and connection of the sheet of material 6 to the framework 1 is accomplished through a plurality of extensions 10 which are clamped around the side members 2 and 3 and additional extensions 11 which are clamped around the cross piece 12.

The sheet of material 6 in this case is of rigid nature and while a number of materials could be used I have found aluminum or fibreglass to be the most suitable at the present time. However, it is understood that any other material of light weight and having the necessary rigidity could be used if desired.

At its rearward edge 13, the sheet of material is formed into additional extensions 14- which are offset and which are formed into cylinders to receive the rod or hinge pin 15.

Reference now to FIG. 3 in the drawings will illustrate 3,l34,l28 Patented May 18, 1965 the interconnection of one pack-board designated generally at 16 with a second pack-board indicated generally at 17. Here it will be seen that ends t on each of the pack-boards has slipped over and is concealing the smaller end 5 at the opposite side of the board and the rod or hinge pin 15 has been passed through the extensions 14 so that the pack-boards are locked securely together to provide either an elongated sled or a stretcher, as the case may be.

It should be noted that for ease of movement over snowy terrain and to prevent side slip the sheet of material 6 is provided with spaced longitudinal ribs 18, as is common.

Securement of the pack-board on the back of a user is accomplished through the straps 19 which are connected at one end to the rings 20 positioned substantially at the centre of the board and at their opposite end to rings 21 which are secured in the bottom loops 22 formed in the straps 23 secured on the sides 7 and 8.

In actual use the pack-board departs to a large degree from conventional pack-boards since the curved portion 9 of the board will project over the head of a user when the board is being used and a large load may be supported high on the back and over the head of the user for maximum ease in carrying. This also allows the board to be pulled as a sled with minimum resistance in deep snow or rugged terrain. The loops 22 on the straps 23 would of course be used for lashing a load on the pack-board, in addition to securing the rings 21 in the bottom loops 22.

Should it be desired to use the pack-board as a simple sled, it is only necessary to connect the straps to the crosspiece 12 and the device may then be hauled behind a user. As described the length of the sled may be increased by connecting a second pack-board as illustrated and described in FIG. 3 or, it necessary, the elongated device may be used as a stretcher or other carrying device.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a pack board, a substantially U-shaped framework, a sheet of rigid material substantially co-extensive with the dimensions of the U-shaped framework, such sheet having an upwardly curved front which is secured to the crosswise portion of the U-shaped framework and turned up sides which are secured along the sides of the U-shaped framework, the ends of the U-shaped framework being adapted to rigidly interconnect with the ends of a framework of a second pack board, means to interconnect the sheets of material of each pack board when the ends of the U-shaped framework are interconnected and strap means connected to the pack board to secure the pack board on the back of a user.

2. The pack board as claimed in claim 1 wherein the the means to interconnect the sheets of material of each pack board comprise extensions formed at the end of the sheets of material and positioned to mate with extensions on the sheet of material of a second pack board when the ends of the U-shaped frameworks of the pack boards are interconnected and a pin insertable in the registered connections to connect the sheets of material.

References fitted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,197,427 4/ Despain 22425 .1 2,379,365 6/ Levison 5-82 2,924,831 2/ Hankins 582 3,088,128 5/63 Waddington 582 HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A PACK BOARD, A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED FRAMEWORK, A SHEET OF RIGID MATERIAL SUBSTANTIALLY CO-EXTENSIVE WITH THE DIMENSIONS OF THE U-SHAPED FRAMEWORK, SUCH SHEET HAVING AN UPWARDLY CURVED FRONT WHICH IS SECURED TO THE CROSSWISE PORTION OF THE U-SHAPED FRAMEWORK AND TURNED UP SIDES WHICH ARE SECURED ALONG THE SIDES OF THE U-SHAPED FRAMEWORK, THE ENDS OF THE U-SHAPED FRAMEWORK BEING ADAPTED TO RIGIDLY INTERCONNECT WITH THE ENDS OF A FRAMEWORK OF A SECOND PACK BOARD, MEANS TO INTERCONNECT 